Fairy and Elf Names

Alafair

Romani

"elf warrior or all true"

The meaning and origin of this extremely rare name are unclear, but it may be related to the Germanic name Alvar "elf warrior", or to Allovera/Elvira "all true". Historically, it has been recorded…

Sugar

Word name

You can call your daughter Sugar, but it's probably best to keep it as a term of endearment. For sweet names, you try Dulcie, Honey, Mitsu, Amai, Sherine, Melita, Eulalia, or Melina, but Sugar does…

Ailsa

Scottish from Norse

"elf victory"

Ailsa is a traditional Scottish name for girls related to a rocky island in the Firth of Clyde called Ailsa Craig. It might make an interesting alternative to the outdated Ashley or overly popular…

Tinuviel

Literary name

"Daughter of the twilight / nightingale"

Lúthien Tinúviel is an elf princess in J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, who falls in love with a mortal human, Beren, and chooses to become mortal herself rather than to live without him. Tinúviel is…

Titania

Greek

"giant, great one"

This name of the queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream has a delicate, lacy charm similar to Tatiana's, but that first syllable could cause embarrassing problems.

Tsubasa

Japanese

"wing"

Undomiel

Literary name

"evening star"

A title given to the elf Arwen in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings , meaning "evening star" and usually rendered poetically as Evenstar. Like her revered ancestor Lúthien, Arwen chooses to become mortal…

Vilina

Russian and Slavic

"fairy"

Vilina is derived from the Slavic component vila , meaning "fairy." Beware that rearranged, the letters almost spell "villain."

Vilja

Finnish, Swedish, Slavic

"grain, will, fairy"

A name made most famous by the operetta The Merry Widow which features "The Vilja's Song". A vila is a woodland spirit or fairy in Slavic mythology. Vilja also means "grain" in Finnish and "will,…

Viola

Latin

"violet"

Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth…

Ælfwynn

Old English

"elf joy"

An ancient elfin name borne by a granddaughter of Alfred the Great. The name appeared on a character in The Lost Kingdom , a ruler of Mercia.

Wanda

Slavic or German

"shepherdess; wanderer"

Rarely heard, and when it is, usually attached to a witch. Historically, though, Wanda was a legendary eighth century queen of Poland, and in literature it is the central character of Ouida's…

Zephyr

Greek

"west wind"

Zephyrus was the Greek god of the west wind, and all names associated with him have a pleasantly gentle, breezy feel. With its cool Z initial and similarity in sound to Stephie and Serafina, Zephyr…

Zuzu

Czech diminutive of Susan

"lily"

This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like…

Alfsol

Swedish, Icelandic

"elf of the sun"

The Swedish spelling of the Icelandic Álfsól, this name combines the elements alfr meaning "elf" and sol meaning "sun" to create a name reminiscent of folktales and epic poetry. It's a rare choice…

Aoife

Irish Gaelic

"beautiful, radiant"

Aoife, pronounced EE-fa, is derived from the Irish word aoibh , meaning "beauty." Aoife was borne by several different heroines of ancient Irish legend. In one tale, she was the fiercest woman…

Álfsól

Icelandic

"elf of the sun"

This modern Icelandic name combines the elements alfr meaning "elf" and sol meaning "sun" to create something reminiscent of folktales and epic poetry. It's a rare choice, but has been approved as a…

Aoibheann

Irish

"beautiful sheen"

An ancient Aoibheann was the mother of Saint Enda, and Aoibheann remains popular in Ireland today, sometimes with its Anglicized spelling Eavan.